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Cucumbers
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storage
Keep cucumbers in the salad drawer of the fridge. They’ll last a week or so, but are best eaten as soon as possible.
prep
You can eat our cucumbers as they are – there’s no need to peel. To avoid the cucumber giving off lots of water, especially if it’s being left to sit for a while, you can halve it lengthways and use a teaspoon to scoop out the watery, seedy section before chopping. Alternatively, or in addition, salt the sliced cucumber before using it.
ideas for raw cucumber
- Marinate for half an hour with salt, sugar and a little vinegar. Try rice wine vinegar when pairing with Asian dishes.
- Diced small, along with radishes, spring onions and chives, in a creamy dressing.
- In a Greek salad, with wedges of ripe tomato, black olives, sliced red onion, chunks of feta, a sprinkling of dried oregano and good olive oil.
- With its cousins, melon or watermelon, crumbled feta and torn mint or basil.
- In tzatziki to go with grilled lamb: mix grated or finely sliced cucumber with thick yoghurt, crushed garlic, a little lemon juice and dried or fresh mint.
- In a quick pickle, ideal for burgers.
- Infused in vodka for a refreshing martini. Simply peel and chop cucumber, pour over vodka and leave to infuse for a few days.
- As a summery alternative to lemon in your gin and tonic.